FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/12/2014
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Council Public Safety Committee Confirms Kathleen O’Toole
SEATTLE – City Council’s Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee, chaired by Councilmember Bruce Harrell, voted 5-0 this afternoon to recommend confirmation of Kathleen O’Toole as the next Chief of Police for the Seattle Police Department (SPD).
The Committee recommendation will move to a Full Council vote on Monday, June 23 at 2:00 pm.
The Public Safety committee conducted three confirmation meetings: June 4, June 11 and June 12. The June 11th meeting was held offsite in the community at New Holly Gathering Hall. As part of the extensive outreach process, the committee sent approximately a thousand emails to community groups and ethnic minority groups asking for feedback and making them aware of the police chief confirmation process. Feedback and questions were also solicited on Facebook and Twitter.
“We have heard overwhelming support that Kathleen O’Toole should be our next Police Chief, and the process suggests that she has the attributes, proficiency and proven record to lead SPD,” said Councilmember Harrell. “The Committee moved with a sense of urgency while conducting a thorough and transparent confirmation process. I look forward to working with Ms. O’Toole and meeting the challenges head-on to rebuild community trust and confidence, and developing neighborhood public safety plans from the bottom-up.”